2010-03-30

The European Hematology Association (EHA) and the American Society of Hematology (ASH) have selected Ingmar Bruns, MD, as the seventh recipient of the EHA-ASH Research Exchange Award, which serves to strengthen ties between North American and European scientific communities.

Dr. Ingmar Bruns is a resident physician and research scientist in the Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Clinical Immunology at the University of Düsseldorf in Germany. After graduating from medical school, he became interested in hematopoietic stem cell biology during his residency in hematology. His experiments in the laboratory led to the detection of the receptors for the hypothalamic peptides orexin A and B on hematopoietic stem cells, which serve as the basis for Dr. Bruns’ project, “The Role of the Hypothalamic Peptides Orexin A and B and Their Receptors in the Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Behavior,” which he will be conducting in the laboratory of Paul Frenette, MD, at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. Dr. Frenette’s scientific approach and the methodology utilized in his laboratory will provide an ideal environment for Dr. Bruns’ research interests. Participating in the award program will enable Dr. Bruns to return to Düsseldorf to start an independent junior research group.

“I was totally surprised to be selected…given the competitive situation,” said Dr. Bruns. “I felt honored and…very happy, as it provides a great opportunity.”

The EHA-ASH Research Exchange Award provides hematologists in training or in the early phase of their careers with the opportunity to pursue research in a new environment, gaining invaluable experience. European awardees select a North American institution at which to conduct their research, and the same opportunity is provided to North American awardees to pursue research in Europe. Awardees receive €75,000 to fund their research. The fellowship, which encourages increased collaboration between scientists, also grants recipients additional travel stipends to attend either the EHA or ASH annual meetings.

The EHA-ASH Research Exchange Award was established in 2006. For more information about this award, visit www.hematology.org/Awards/EHA-ASH-REA/2237.aspx.

To arrange an interview with Dr. Bruns, please contact ASH Communications Assistant Patrick C. Irelan at 202-776-0544 or pirelan@hematology.org.

The American Society of Hematology (www.hematology.org) is the world’s largest professional society concerned with the causes and treatment of blood disorders. Its mission is to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disorders affecting blood, bone marrow, and the immunologic, hemostatic, and vascular systems, by promoting research, clinical care, education, training, and advocacy in hematology. ASH provides Blood: The Vital Connection (www.bloodthevitalconnection.org), a credible online resource addressing bleeding and clotting disorders, anemia, and cancer. The official journal of ASH is Blood (www.bloodjournal.org), the most cited peer-reviewed publication in the field, which is available weekly in print and online.

The European Hematology Association (www.ehaweb.org) aims to promote excellence in clinical practice, research, and education in European hematology. Today, EHA – with over 3,000 active members from 95 countries – is a consolidated organization that pursues a large and growing number of projects and programs.

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